You’ve got Sloppy Joes. And then you’ve got Sloppy Joes that have you counting down the days until Sloppy Joes’ night. This delectable recipe — made in a smoker — from Nicole Johnson of food blog Or Whatever You Do falls into the latter category. Thankfully, with one batch making 12 servings, you’ll likely have enough for one or two nights of leftovers to keep that countdown to the next Sloppy Joes’ night bearable. 

"This recipe was inspired by the ‘over-the-top chili’ craze of 2020, which had me making pot after pot of chili on the grill pretty much every chance I could get," Johnson tells FOX News. "Our whole family loves Sloppy Joes, and anytime I can fire up my pellet grill, I'm game! It seemed like a natural fit, and it definitely was," she continues, noting that this recipe makes great Sloppy Joes grilled cheese, too.

LOADED POTATO BACON BOATS: TRY THE RECIPE

Nicole Johnson from the food blog Or Whatever You Do shared her "Smoked 'Over the Top' Sloppy Joes" recipe with Fox News.

Nicole Johnson from the food blog Or Whatever You Do shared her "Smoked 'Over the Top' Sloppy Joes" recipe with Fox News. (Nicole Johnson - OrWhateverYouDo.com)

Get the full recipe below.

Smoked Over the Top Sloppy Joes from Nicole Johnson of Or Whatever You Do

Makes 12 servings

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 3 hours

PULLED PORK POTATO CHIP NACHOS: TRY THE RECIPE

Ingredients

For Sloppy Joes:

  1. 3 pounds ground beef
  2. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  3. 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
  4. 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  5. 2 tablespoons bloody mary seasoning (optional)

THIS CRISPY POTATO-CRUSTED CHICKEN WING RECIPE FEATURES A 'SECRET' INGREDIENT

To cook Nicole Johnson's Sloppy Joe recipe, you'll need a smoker for the ground beef.

To cook Nicole Johnson's Sloppy Joe recipe, you'll need a smoker for the ground beef. (Nicole Johnson - OrWhateverYouDo.com)

For Sauce

  1. 2 stalks celery, chopped
  2. 1 medium onion, chopped
  3. 15-ounce can tomato sauce
  4. 1 cup ketchup
  5. 1/3 cup BBQ sauce
  6. 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  7. 2 teaspoons dry mustard
  8. 2 tablespoons Worcestershire
  9. 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  10. 1 cup water

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

Instructions:

Load up your Sloppy Joe with cheese and you're all done.

Load up your Sloppy Joe with cheese and you're all done. (Nicole Johnson - OrWhateverYouDo.com)

  1. Preheat your smoker to 220 °F.
  2. Take all of the ground beef and form it into a large, loose patty. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and bloody mary seasoning. (You can sub in some garlic and onion powder along with some celery salt if you don't have bloody mary seasoning handy.)
  3. Place the patty onto a wire rack that's been prepped with cooking spray.
  4. In a large, high-sided Dutch oven, toss in the onions, celery, tomato sauce, and the rest of the sauce ingredients into the pot. Put the wire rack on top of the cover. Put the whole thing in your smoker.
  5. Let the whole thing smoke for around 2 hours. Check it once or twice during that time and give the sauce a stir, if necessary. Once the meat is browned and smokey, put it into the pot of sauce and break it up into small pieces.
  6. Turn the heat on the grill up to 325° F, and let the pot simmer until the meat is further broken up, and the sauce is the thickness you prefer. This should take anywhere from 30-60 minutes. Stir it periodically to ensure the meat doesn't settle and stick to the bottom and burn. Ensure the pot isn't over any particularly hot spots.
  7. Remove from the grill and remove any excess fat.
  8. Serve with rolls, cheese, and chips.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER